The Ambience of Halloween

by Roy Challis

At the party the hostess
introduces the me she knew yesterday 
while a long legged redhead 
insists she knows me 
but can't recognise my face. 
      
I state emphatically that I'm not myself tonight;
satisfied
the redhead explains she is a fridge
"when I close my eyes the lights go out 
but when I open them they come on again" 
      
It is halloween and the scariest thing in the room 
is the lithe redhead without costume
I offer to take her home 
she insists she is a witch 

ROY CHALLIS OF NORTH BATTLEFORD, SASKATCHEWAN, IS A SUPERANNUATED TEACHER OF LITERARY AND THEATRE ARTS, AS WELL AS A PART-TIME WRITER/PERFORMANCE ARTIST. HIS WORK HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY ONLY BEEN MADE PUBLIC THROUGH PERFORMANCE.